Explore every episode of the podcast Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Isn't What's Slowing Philanthropy Down | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:48:03 | |
Philanthropy takes heat for being slow to move money, and learning usually gets the blame. Katherine Haugh, founder of the Convive Collective and a learning partner to some of the largest climate-focused philanthropies in the US and Europe, thinks that critique is fair but aimed at the wrong target. She and Eric dig into what's actually slowing foundations down, why learning so often becomes a way to dodge a decision, and the two things a foundation needs to genuinely learn. Episode Highlights: [00:14:15] The real reason money moves slowly: control and ego, not learning Notable Quotes: Katherine Haugh [00:15:50]: "I actually think that the reason why that is, is a function of control and ego." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Your Difference Is the Superpower | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:48:36 | |
Sandy Gould has spent 36 years studying where people's "superpowers" come from, and his answer is simple: the thing that makes you different is the same thing that lets you create what no one else can. In this conversation with Eric Ressler, the longtime GLAAD advisor and author of the forthcoming book Interlightening explains why conformity feels safe and isn't, and how the same rules that grow an individual grow an entire organization. Episode Highlights: [00:03:00] From tech recruiting to GLAAD: a career built on unleashing people Notable Quotes: Sandy Gould [00:19:25]: "The difference engine is what drives every human, every group of people, and our life and our world. If you and I were exactly the same, this conversation would be nothing." Sandy Gould [00:24:15]: "'I don't know' is a very powerful, honest thing to say. But honesty is more important. First, establish trust, then invite them in to help you figure it out." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Run Your Nonprofit Like a Scientist | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:43:41 | |
Every leader in the social impact space has failures. But we rarely talk about them. We brush over them, reframe them, paper over them. Michelle Moog-Koussa thinks that's a mistake. She built the Bob Moog Foundation from $15,000 and a stack of Bob's crossed-out notebooks into a 20-year institution, and she runs it like a scientist: write down the idea, test it, and record an honest "didn't work" before turning the page. Episode Highlights: [00:00:00] Why the social impact sector refuses to talk about failure Notable Quotes: Michelle Moog-Koussa [00:27:15]: "Mistakes are the portals to discovery." Eric Ressler [00:25:30]: "The sector at large does not accept failure with grace." Michelle Moog-Koussa [00:18:05]: "I don't have a miniature bat. My bat is so big, I just needed more people to help me swing it." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| If Only They Got Us, They'd Fund Us | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:40:27 | |
Every nonprofit leader has told themselves the same story: if funders just understood us, they'd fund us. Eric and Jonathan make the uncomfortable case that misunderstood impact is usually a you problem, and that what looks like a storytelling gap is almost always an identity gap. Close it, and funding, talent, and trust all get easier. Episode Highlights: [00:01:15] The identity impact gap, defined Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:04:20]: "I would urge orgs to figure out: if there was only one thing that everyone could know us for, what might that one thing be? And do a really good job beating that drum." Jonathan Hicken [00:25:20]: "It has to start with a deep understanding of self. Before you can get to expression, before you can get to perception, you have to know yourself." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Don't Coast on Your Momentum | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:33:15 | |
Most leaders know how to fight through a crisis. Almost nobody's ready for the moment things start working. That's where Jonathan finds himself. Five years into running the Seymour Center, the survival years behind him. Funding's solid. The team's humming. He walks the halls, thinks "we're good," and tells me that stability feels strange. Almost uncomfortable. Like a problem he doesn't have the muscle for yet. What I keep seeing after 15 years is that that's exactly how good organizations stall out. The bold, experimental swings that built the momentum are the first thing leaders quietly retire the moment things feel stable. So the real discipline is refusing to coast, and building from a place of stability instead of scarcity while you still have the calm to think clearly. Episode Highlights: [00:01:35] Momentum is a different kind of problem Notable Quotes: Jonathan Hicken [00:28:55]: "Keep the foot on the gas, and lean into what I know has worked — which has been big, creative, different, bold swings." Eric Ressler [00:20:35]: "The trap would be, okay, it's working now, we just move into business-as-usual mode. That's how orgs stall out a lot of times." Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| You Design Your Culture. Here's How | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:35:07 | |
Is culture something you design, or does it emerge from the people you hire? I think you design it, through the decisions you make every day. Jonathan thinks it starts with the people and grows from there. The more we talked, the more the two came together: culture isn't your values poster, it's the consistent decisions a team makes over and over, plus the guardrails and tools that help everyone make them well. Episode Highlights: [00:03:22] Why culture always starts with who you hire Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:23:55]: "Culture is built by the consistent decisions and actions that you make as an org, not by your value statement or your posters." Jonathan Hicken [00:26:50]: "We recently started calling it the Seymour Way rather than core values. Because I can't actually tell somebody what their values are. What I can say is, 'This is how we do it here.'" Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Decisions Are Being Made For Us, Not With Us | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:46:59 | |
Two camps are forming around AI in the social impact space. One says boycott it. The other says you're already behind. Meanwhile, the biggest decisions are being made without us. Kaz McGrath and Stephen Silveira of Play (PLAI — Purpose-Led AI) make the case for stepping into the conversation, holding space for skeptics and builders at the same table, and using AI as a tool for imagination and mission. Episode Highlights: [00:04:30] "You are behind" — the message the sector keeps hearing Notable Quotes: Stephen Silveira [00:26:10]: "People are using AI to be that silver bullet. They want this future we're trying to describe, and they want to say AI is the thing." Kaz McGrath [00:35:55]: "These decisions are being made for us, not with us. For us, not without us." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| How to Avoid the Executive Bottleneck Trap | 04 Aug 2026 | 00:33:08 | |
I have this problem, and I have it bad. At Cosmic I'm the bottleneck on more things than I should be, holding onto work because explaining it feels slower than just doing it. Jonathan doesn't get stuck there as often, so we dug into how executive directors and CEOs tell the bottlenecks that are right from the ones capping the whole org, and how to climb out of them. Episode Highlights: [00:01:05] The bottleneck problem, named out loud Notable Quotes: Jonathan Hicken [00:02:15]: "I'm a big believer in hire people that are better and smarter than you, and then let them cook." Eric Ressler [00:21:00]: "Just this one time I'm going to do it. And then all of a sudden I've done that just this one time five times now." Jonathan Hicken [00:26:00]: "You hear stories of executive directors copy editing every single email that goes out. That is the most catastrophic failure of that organization." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Get Seen, Get Supported | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:36:25 | |
Nonprofit leaders want more people to see their work, but almost none of them want to be the one posting about it. Saralynn Finn and I dig into what changes once you get past that resistance: story stems, a repeatable format for turning an ordinary moment into a post worth reading, and the difference between posting out of obligation and posting because something actually needs saying. Saralynn brings a nonprofit CEO's 90-day LinkedIn experiment into it, and I bring my own inconsistent posting habits. This is a second conversation, picking up where an earlier episode on visibility left off. Episode Highlights: [00:04:00] Story stems: the copy-meme format built for LinkedIn posts Notable Quotes: Saralynn Finn [00:06:25]: "Story stems, posts with familiar patterns, get three times the engagement of posts that don't have a story stem." Saralynn Finn [00:33:20]: "This humility does not require invisibility." Eric Ressler [00:16:05]: "I'm feeling a little burnt out by LinkedIn right now, and it's my own fault." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Claiming Your Role in the Social Impact Ecosystem | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:30:49 | |
Every social impact leader believes in their mission. Funders assume that too. What they actually want to know is why you, specifically, over the ten other orgs working the same issue, or the bigger name with more reach and a longer track record. Most leaders answer with passion, good programs, being impactful. Genuine things that still don't add up to a strategy. In this episode, Jonathan and I dig into a framework we use with clients constantly: naming your organization's exact role inside a broader social impact ecosystem, specific enough to defend, credible enough to believe, and clear enough that funders, staff, and partners all describe your org the same way. Jonathan brings Seymour Center into it as a live example, working through the question in real time. Episode Highlights: [00:03:25] Why "we do good work" isn't enough to win over savvy funders [00:04:45] Jonathan's own evolving answer to what role Seymour Center plays in Santa Cruz [00:06:38] The vague language and buzzwords that quietly sink an organization's positioning [00:21:24] Mapping the ecosystem: the first exercise Cosmic runs with every client [00:27:41] The moments that call for revisiting your role, from new leadership to ecosystem disruption Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:19:20]: "Passion is not a strategy. It's not a position. It's not a role. We can't compete on being the most passionate, because who's going to claim otherwise?" Jonathan Hicken [00:17:45]: "Someone's like, I love the ocean, I want to save the ocean, so we're going to create a museum to save the ocean. But that's the vagueness we're talking about." Resources & Links: - The Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/ Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What Would Have to Be True? | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:42:44 | |
Sarah Newkirk became executive director of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County in the middle of a capital campaign, the same week Jonathan Hicken took over at the Seymour Center. Five years later, she's landed a $15 million farmland deal, a wildlife crossing Caltrans is now replicating statewide, and a strategic plan built around one question: what would have to be true for this to work? She and Eric talk relationships, risk, and why joy is the real return on conservation work. Episode Highlights: [00:01:30] Coming in as the new ED mid-capital-campaign, the same week Jonathan started at the Seymour Center [00:06:30] Beach Ranch: taking flood-prone farmland out of production to let marshland move inland [00:07:30] Retiring 47-year-old branding and finally owning the "conservation incubator" identity [00:09:30] Inside the Highway 17 wildlife crossing, now a model Caltrans is replicating statewide [00:16:00] The Land Trust's three beneficiaries: wildlife, working agriculture, and people, together [00:26:00] The "what would have to be true" method that turned a twice-failed ballot measure into Measure Q Notable Quotes: Sarah Newkirk [00:28:00]: "We made a list of what had to be true, and we made those things true." Sarah Newkirk [00:39:15]: "When you provide this kind of conservation work to the broader public, the public loves it, and therefore they love you. That is a beautiful, virtuous cycle." Eric Ressler [00:39:30]: "I love that the answer is joy. I think we need a lot more joy in how this work happens." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Drafting Our Strategic Dream Teams | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:36:16 | |
There's a push right now to democratize strategic planning. Survey the community, poll the staff, put the big calls to a vote. Episode Highlights: [00:00:00] Drafting fantasy strategic planning teams from ten possible inputs Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:05:35]: "The community should have a lot of influence, but I don't think this work usually works when it's truly democratic." Jonathan Hicken [00:11:05]: "We have a saying at Seymour Center here where data beats opinions 100% of the time." Eric Ressler [00:33:35]: "If literally everyone is happy, maybe the decision was too obvious and weak." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Money in Motion, Not Money Warehoused | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:37:41 | |
There's a number treated like gospel in philanthropy: the 5% annual payout private foundations are required to hit. It was written into law as a floor. Kristin Todd has watched it become a ceiling instead. After nearly two decades at the Daniels Fund, a $1.5 billion private foundation, she now leads the NoCo Foundation in Northern Colorado, where she's more than doubled annual grant-making by refusing to let donor dollars sit still. Episode Highlights: [00:01:00] Running a $1.5 billion legacy fund vs. a nimble community foundation Notable Quotes: Kristin Todd [00:12:30]: "In the private foundation world, that 5% has become a ceiling, not a floor." Kristin Todd [00:11:30]: "We do not want to be a sponsor of DAFs that are warehousing dollars, and in fact we are not." Eric Ressler [00:21:30]: "These are the hardest problems in the world that no one else has solved, and yet they're not getting the same attention as the latest AI startup." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Your Most Durable Asset Is Still Your Website | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:34:00 | |
Everyone keeps predicting the death of the website. First it was social, now it is AI. But it is still the one channel you actually own and control, which is exactly what makes it your most durable asset. So when a site has gone untouched for five years and a redo runs six figures, the real question is whether it is worth it, and when. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Can Business Actually Be a Force for Good? | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:44:07 | |
For the last 50 years, we've operated under a single dominant idea: the purpose of business is to maximize shareholder value. But what if this whole era of extraction and short-termism isn't the natural order at all? What if it's just a blip? Sarah Gillard, CEO of Blueprint for Better Business, has spent 25 years inside major corporations watching what happens when companies forget what they're actually for, and she makes the case that business has both the power and the obligation to change it. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: Sarah Gillard [00:38:40]: "Historically we will see these last 50-odd years as an odd blip. How do we take the most powerful shaper of our societies and just go: just focus on the money? Just weird." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| The Real Cost of Playing It Safe | 09 Jun 2026 | 00:30:18 | |
Jonathan recently learned that the Seymour Center is about to absorb a permanent new expense in the $150,000 to $200,000 range. On a $2.2 million operating budget, that's roughly 10% of the whole thing, and it's not a one-time hit. The instinct for most leaders is to pull back: tighten the budget, pause the big swings, and try again in a few years. But contraction changes the story you can tell funders, and that cost is harder to recover from than the budget hit itself. Episode Highlights: [00:00:30] Contract or keep pushing? The fundamental question. Notable Quotes: Jonathan Hicken [00:17:00]: "I can go to those meetings right now and sit down at the table and look at these people in the eye and authentically tell the story of this liftoff. If I start to contract, I can't do that." Eric Ressler [00:18:10]: "There's a saying in the business world: never need a deal. I think we're wired as humans to just be super attuned to desperation."
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Feelings Don't Drive Change | 02 Jun 2026 | 00:35:42 | |
Most social impact campaigns are built on two ingredients: information and emotion. The data makes the case. The storytelling makes people care. But caring, on its own, has a shelf life. Saralynn Finn, founder of Sett & Sley Consulting, joins Eric in the studio to argue that the third ingredient, what she calls "the hands", is where campaigns succeed or quietly die. Not more awareness, not more storytelling, but actionable pathways that give audiences something real to do with everything they now know and feel. Episode Highlights: [00:01:30] The head, heart, and hands framework for social impact campaigns Notable Quotes: Saralynn Finn [00:06:00]: "It's the piece of most campaigns that's missing, that people are trying to break the nut of and figure out: how do I create a pathway?" Eric Ressler [00:13:00]: "Campaigns need their own little mini theory of change." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Say What You Actually Believe | 26 May 2026 | 00:31:53 | |
Most social impact leaders got into this work because they care deeply about the mission, not because they wanted to be public figures with opinions. But that instinct to stay quiet and let the work speak for itself may be doing more harm than good. Developing and sharing a strong point of view isn't a nice-to-have; it's a moral obligation for leaders in this space. Episode Highlights: [00:01:00] The hesitancy Eric keeps seeing in leaders who won't go public with their thinking Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:11:05]: "The bigger the difference between who you actually are and how you are perceived by the people that you care about reaching, the bigger all of your problems are going to be." Eric Ressler [00:29:35]: "People need to do research, they need to develop hypotheses, they need to publish those, not just think about them in their brains." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Integrity Alone Will Get You Outplayed | 19 May 2026 | 00:44:33 | |
There's an unspoken rule in the social impact sector: we tell the truth, we follow the science, we play fair. But those rules are increasingly a losing strategy, because the industries we're up against don't have to win the argument. They just have to muddy it. Joelle Lester, Executive Director of the Public Health Law Center, has spent 25 years studying how Big Tobacco manufactured doubt, and how that same playbook now drives opposition to progress on climate, food, and public health. Episode Highlights: [00:04:00] Merchants of doubt: how the tobacco industry wrote the playbook for manufacturing scientific uncertainty Notable Quotes: Joelle Lester [00:05:00]: "The art of it is that they don't try to disprove it. They just try to raise doubt in people's minds about how believable the science is." Joelle Lester [00:41:05]: "Having all the evidence and having the legal authority and being right is not getting us where we need to go." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Brandmaxxing or Debranding: Pick Your Side | 12 May 2026 | 00:26:06 | |
There's a trend called looksmaxxing that says appearance is everything, and optimizing it is just pragmatism. Apply that same logic to nonprofits and you get an interesting thought experiment: what happens when an organization goes all in on brand? And what happens when one deliberately strips brand away entirely? This episode explores the spectrum between "brandmaxxing" and "debranding," two extremes that reveal something important about how the sector thinks about visibility. The social impact sector has been structurally imbalanced toward the debranding end for decades, and the reluctance to invest in brand often masquerades as virtue. But humans are influenced by brand the same way they're influenced by appearance, and refusing to play the game doesn't make the game go away. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:06:30]: "Humans are influenced by brand. You can be humble about it, but at some level, you got to realize you have to play the game." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Trust No One Is Exactly What Authoritarians Want | 05 May 2026 | 00:44:24 | |
Every major technological paradigm shift has broken society before it fixed it. The printing press, radio, television. Each one reshaped how we communicate and what we believe. Now the internet, social media, and AI are repeating the pattern at unprecedented speed. Joel Breakstone, co-founder and executive director of the Digital Inquiry Group, has spent over a decade studying how people evaluate online information, and what he's found is alarming: students, academics, and everyday adults are failing at even the most basic tasks of digital discernment. But his research also reveals a path forward, built on the surprisingly simple strategies of professional fact checkers. Episode Highlights: [00:01:55] Was the internet a huge mistake? Notable Quotes: Joel Breakstone [00:11:25]: "The myth of the digital native is very much a myth. Young people, like the rest of us, need help making sense of the unbelievably crowded and confusing landscape that we encounter when we go online." Joel Breakstone [00:27:30]: "It can become really easy to just throw your hands up in the air and say, 'Nothing's real. I don't know what to trust.' And that is a really dangerous place for us to end up because it plays into the hands of authoritarians." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Visibility Beats Impact | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:33:18 | |
There's a quiet belief running through the social impact space that being too visible somehow cheapens the work. That good organizations should let their impact speak for itself. But the orgs that get the funding, the talent, and the momentum aren't always the ones doing the best work; they're the ones who've made their work visible. This episode makes the case that visibility matters more than impact, and that staying humble is a belief most orgs can no longer afford. Episode Highlights: [00:00:00] Visible orgs outperform high-impact orgs Notable Quotes: Eric Ressler [00:01:05]: "Orgs who are consistently good at visibility outperform and are more successful, generally speaking, than orgs who are really good at impact." Jonathan Hicken [00:02:25]: "There is just some sort of moral objection to maybe if we're too visible that devalues the sincerity or the authenticity of the impact. There's a sort of humility thing in there." Eric Ressler [00:14:00]: "Visibility, man. At least you get the chance. If you have no visibility, you don't even have a chance." Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Who Actually Gets a Seat at the Table? | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:49:25 | |
The social impact sector has made community co-creation almost sacred. Design with people, not for them. Give everyone a voice. But what happens when the loudest voices aren't the most informed, and the planning process stalls because nobody can make a call? Taylor Stuckert, CEO of Lead for America, has lived this tension from every angle. Eric and Taylor dig into the question nobody in social impact wants to ask out loud: can too much community input actually be a problem? Episode Highlights: [00:01:30] Wilmington, Ohio and the day DHL disappeared [00:06:30] The guerrilla flyer campaign that drew hundreds to a town hall [00:08:30] When community input becomes a double-edged sword [00:14:00] Stop trying to please everyone [00:17:30] There is no "the community" [00:28:00] Why the brain drain narrative misses the bigger story [00:37:00] Why AI will widen the divide we never closed Notable Quotes: Taylor Stuckert [00:17:40]: "We act as if the community is this unified object that has complete consensus and you're either engaging them or you're not. And that's just so inaccurate to reality." Taylor Stuckert [00:14:10]: "We have to get away from this notion that we're going to make perfect decisions. You're not going to please everyone — but that shouldn't take away from how we engage everyone." Resources & Links: - Lead for America — https://www.leadforamerica.org/ - American Connection Corps — https://www.leadforamerica.org/ - Carnegie Corporation of New York — https://www.carnegie.org/ Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Most of Your Brand Strategy is a Waste of Time | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:34:37 | |
Most nonprofit leaders have been through some version of the brand strategy process. Eric calls it process theater: brand strategy work that sounds great in proposals but leaves everyone wondering what they're actually building toward. This episode puts ten common elements of brand strategy on trial. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: [00:01:20]: "Sometimes these processes can be overinflated, a bit of process theater. Things that sound great in proposals, and then halfway through you're like, 'What are we even doing here?'" Eric Ressler [00:12:30]: "As an executive director, knowing what your niche is, is like a stress reducer. When other organizations pop up, rather than being fearful, you can just be like, 'Oh no, that's a different thing.'" Jonathan Hicken Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| AI Doesn't Know What Empathy Looks Like | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:30:24 | |
Technology promised to close the digital divide, but too often the people building it don't reflect the communities affected by it. Tina-Marie Gulley, former CEO of Ada Developers Academy, sits down with Eric to talk about what it takes to build a more intentional, equitable tech industry, from embedding AI into nonprofit curriculum to running hackathons that solve real problems for community organizations. Episode Highlights: [00:01:00] From corporate marketing to nonprofit CEO: how a computer science competition revealed tech's inclusion problem Notable Quotes: [00:11:10]: "AI only knows how we describe empathy, but it doesn't know what empathy looks like in practice." Tina-Marie Gulley [00:17:00]: "A big part of investing in AI is investing in humanity." Tina-Marie Gulley Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Funders Don't Owe You Anything | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:26:51 | |
There's a post going around LinkedIn right now where a fundraiser is calling out a foundation for not structuring a grant as multi-year support. The tone is essentially: our work matters, so funders should give us what we need. He's so committed to this idea that he's stopped pursuing competitive grants entirely, opting instead for a relationship-first approach. Eric agrees with the pragmatism, but he can't let the systemic critique go unspoken. These are organizations with massive tax advantages hoarding wealth, spending down the legal minimum, and investing in ways that sometimes directly contradict their stated missions. Trust-based philanthropy is a structural response to a power dynamic that's been broken for decades. Eric draws a parallel to his own decision to stop doing RFPs at Cosmic, and Jonathan admits his approach might be its own quiet act of resistance. Most fundraisers live in this tension every day… they just don't say it out loud. Episode Highlights: [00:02:00] Why funders should be treated like customers, not fuel Notable Quotes: [00:05:25]: "If I deeply understand what my funders are trying to do, that puts me in a position where I'm actually seen as an ally and a partner rather than a hungry mouth to feed." Jonathan Hicken [00:23:00]: "If you're commenting on systems change, fantastic. Let it rip. If you're talking about actually going after money, the entitlement tone is hurting all of us." Jonathan Hicken Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Inside charity:water's Big Brand Bet | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:58:16 | |
The nonprofit sector has a marketing philosophy problem. We adopted a playbook built almost entirely around conversion: get the click, get the gift, optimize the funnel. But all of that activation depends on something most organizations never intentionally build: a brand people actually know, remember, and feel something about. Brady Josephson, Head of Growth & Innovation at charity:water, spent most of his career in direct response. Then the data told him something different, and charity:water went all in on brand. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Who Are You Becoming? | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:23:18 | |
A single phrase from a previous episode sent Eric into an existential tailspin, and reshaped how he thinks about organizational identity. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack why "Who are we becoming?" hits harder than any strategic planning question, how it works as a daily filter for every decision you make, and why the social impact sector needs to be asking it right now. Episode Highlights: Notable Quotes: [00:05:30]: "The next question that I ask myself is, 'Well, what would I do differently if I were already that?' And that's where I think it becomes extremely powerful." Eric Ressler [00:06:55]: "Every action I take, every decision I make as an individual is sort of a vote for who I'm becoming." Jonathan Hicken Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Storytelling Needs an Ecosystem | 10 Mar 2026 | 00:50:52 | |
The social impact sector has gotten very good at describing problems: white papers, statistics, annual reports filled with data on gaps and needs. But it hasn't built a system for telling stories that actually move people. Heather Mason spent 20 years producing the biggest convenings in the sector before building The Impact Lounge, a traveling hub that brings together funders, filmmakers, and creators at Sundance, Cannes, and beyond to build the narrative infrastructure social change has been missing. Episode Highlights: [02:15] Why narrative change is the most powerful lever for social change [05:00] The social sector treats film as a tactic — Hollywood treats it as a system [08:00] Marvelization: what world-building looks like for social impact [12:30] You were hired to solve a problem — what if you were hired to create a vision? [37:00] Why small teams should build, not buy — and let go of perfect [45:00] The Skunkworks mindset: annoyingly positive in a hard year Notable Quotes: [03:45]: "Data can inform us, but only stories can move us." — Heather Mason [13:00]: "If people get hired to focus on the problem, you're going to get problem-focused experiences, problem-focused communication, problem-focused white papers." — Heather Mason Resources & Links:
Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| WTF Even is Strategy? | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:31:20 | |
Everyone claims to be strategic. But what does that word even mean anymore? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into a question that comes up constantly: what actually separates strategy from tactics, and why do so many strategic plans end up collecting dust? Eric makes a bold claim — that strategy, at its core, comes down to one word: conviction. Not frameworks. Not 200-page documents. Conviction about who you are, and more importantly, who you are not. The conversation gets personal when Eric admits he lost that conviction at Cosmic, drifting toward service expansion before recognizing the pattern he'd seen in dozens of client organizations. If you've ever sat through a six-month strategic planning process that ended in a fizzle, this one's for you. Episode Highlights [00:01:49] What the fuck even is strategy? [00:03:58] Eric's answer: conviction [00:04:30] What you're saying no to [00:06:40] Strategy vs. tactics [00:09:32] Eric lost conviction at Cosmic [00:15:15] Photography as extractive art [00:16:06] Near enemy: stubbornness [00:25:47] Longer plan = more useless [00:28:58] Passion is not a strategy Notable Quotes "There is a very strong conviction about who they are, but even more so who they are not." — Eric "The impulse I find for most people is to go tactical. And to call it strategy." — Jonathan "The longer your strategic plan is, the more useless it is." — Eric "If you don't know what to say yes and no to, you don't have a strategy." — Eric Resources Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://www.jimcollins.com/books.html Minimum Viable Strategy episode: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/how-to-stop-planning-and-start-doing/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Philanthropy Can Afford to Give More | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:54:40 | |
There's $1.5 trillion sitting in American foundations right now. Add in donor-advised funds and the total climbs past $1.7 trillion. Most of it isn't moving. Meanwhile, the organizations on the front lines of housing, health, democracy, and climate are being told to do more with less. In this episode, three leaders behind the Level Up campaign make the case that the 5% minimum payout rate — meant to be a floor — has become a ceiling. And they're doing something about it. Aaron Dorfman (NCRP), Jodeen Olguín-Tayler (CHANGE Philanthropy), and Amanda Andere (Neighborhood Funders Group) break down the campaign asking foundations to increase their payout to at least 8% for two years, direct funds more equitably, and prove it with their tax filings. Episode Highlights [00:00] The $1.5 trillion on the sidelines [02:03] Why 5% isn't enough for this moment [06:15] How philanthropy responded to 2025 — and where it fell short [13:50] What "give better" actually looks like [17:24] Why Minneapolis was ready [25:39] The billion-dollar imbalance between right and left [29:24] Why Level Up requires proof, not just promises [44:03] Foundations already leading the way [49:28] What you can do right now Notable Quotes "We can't leave this capital on the sidelines." — Aaron Dorfman [02:30] "I stopped putting funding into my son's college education fund because if we don't have a world that is effectively addressing climate, racialized violence… I'm not sure my eight year old is going to have the need for a college account." — Jodeen Olguín-Tayler [04:34] "Whatever you thought you were doing during the civil rights movement — that is what you should be doing now." — Amanda Andere [51:15] Resources & Links Level Up Campaign — https://levelupphilanthropy.org/ NCRP — https://ncrp.org/ Neighborhood Funders Group — https://nfg.org/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| The Great Content Reset | 17 Feb 2026 | 00:28:59 | |
AI slop is flooding every channel. Here's what changes, what doesn't, and how to cut through the noise. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into the great content reset — the collision of AI, shifting media formats, and a growing hunger for real human connection. They unpack where AI actually helps (and where it creates "AI slop"), why Derek Thompson argues everything is becoming television, and the timeless communication truths that hold no matter the technology. Episode Highlights [00:00] The Great Content Reset [01:03] The Google Ads Nightmare [03:05] AI as Content Accelerant [05:20] Quantity vs. Personality [08:18] How We Use AI on This Show [10:33] When AI Helps vs. Hurts [14:16] Everything Is Television [18:22] Should Every Org Create Content? [20:06] The Return to In-Person [23:13] Timeless Communication Truths [26:41] The Value of Imperfection Notable Quotes "As the channels get noisier and noisier, you basically have to show up more and more. But is that really going to be your strategy?" — Eric "Are people even planning what to do on a weekend by searching Google anymore? Are they just asking ChatGPT?" — Jonathan "The more AI slop comes in and pollutes these channels, the more anything that feels different than that becomes important." — Eric "I think the idea of 'we do good work behind the scenes' — there is less and less viability in that model." — Eric Resources & Links: Cosmic helps social impact leaders build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Who Should Fund The People? | 10 Feb 2026 | 00:24:40 | |
If solving the world's hardest problems requires the world's best people, why do we pay social impact professionals like they should be grateful just to have a job? The sector still treats its workforce as a cost to be minimized rather than the most important element to its success. So what would it look like to invest in people with the same urgency we bring to our missions?
Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| The Cost of "Someday" | 27 Jan 2026 | 00:26:56 | |
Every organization has a “someday” list. The rebrand that never quite gets prioritized. The content strategy that’s been “in the works” for three years. The bold idea that came up in a board meeting, got tabled for further discussion — and was never discussed again. But what if the right time already came and went? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan go behind the scenes on a project that almost didn’t happen: building Seymour Studios, a turnkey media space designed to make storytelling fast, simple, and accessible for the social impact community in Santa Cruz. Eric pitched this same concept to another local organization months earlier. They stalled. Jonathan saw the potential, moved on it, and now the opportunities are already flowing in. They cover: ➔ Why rigid strategic plans often kill the opportunities they’re meant to create. If you’ve ever felt stuck between vision and execution — or wondered why some organizations seem to move while others stay frozen — this conversation will challenge how you think about timing, risk, and the real cost of deferral. Stop waiting. Start building. Episode Highlights
P.S. — Feeling stuck between where you are and where you know you could be? Cosmic helps social impact orgs build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let’s talk about how to get moving: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Making Your Movement Irresistible | 20 Jan 2026 | 00:44:14 | |
In the social impact sector, we talk a lot about systems. Structural barriers. Root causes. Power structures. But I've watched systems-focused thinking become its own kind of trap: top-down, abstract, and alienating the very people it aims to serve. Because systems aren't just structures and policies. They're people. And you can't change a system by imposing solutions from above. You have to build with the people living inside it. My guest today calls herself a practical radical. After her father died when she was eleven, basketball saved her. For eight years, she coached high school girls in West Philadelphia, taking a program from 0-18 in her first season to state champions in her last. But she noticed something: for some kids, sports is a hobby. For others, it's a lifeline. We celebrate the ones who make it out but rarely ask why so many need a lifeline in the first place. Beulah Osueke is the Executive Director of New Voices for Reproductive Justice and the founder of PILR, a new initiative transforming youth sports into spaces of wellness, equity, and growth.
[00:00] Introduction [02:11] How basketball saved her after losing her father [03:05] Why do we require resilience instead of building better systems? [05:34] Sports as hobby vs. sports as lifeline [08:47] From faith-based organizing to reproductive justice [09:55] Releasing toxic theology [13:30] "I don't have the answers. People have the answers." [16:44] The three pillars of reproductive justice [18:30] The People's Portal: Making social justice accessible [24:38] Making the movement irresistible [26:06] PILR: Transforming youth sports [29:30] Testing assumptions through co-creation [34:44] Why the most effective leaders are servant leaders [38:27] Discipline and learning to see rejection as data [42:47] "What's destined for you is far greater than what you desire"
"Why do we require resilience of individual people as opposed to making tenacious structures and systems that look out for the good of people?" — Beulah Osueke [03:05] "There are some people that get to play sports as a hobby, and there are some people that are playing sports as a lifeline." — Beulah Osueke [05:34] "I believe in being a practical radical — showing people what's possible through the lens of what already exists and just improving what already exists." — Beulah Osueke [08:00] "We have to be very careful to build power with our people, otherwise we're going to replicate the very same power structures that we're now critiquing." — Beulah Osueke [25:26] "You cannot say something is co-created if you're not willing to make shifts once people show up and give you free wisdom." — Beulah Osueke [32:08] "What's destined for you is far greater than what you desire. This is why surrender is essential." — Beulah Osueke [42:47] P.S. — Struggling to make your message accessible without watering it down? Cosmic helps social impact leaders build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let's talk about how to elevate your impact: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Jonathan's Back?! Wins, Struggles, and What We Learned in 2025 | 19 Dec 2025 | 00:33:26 | |
After months away, Jonathan Hicken returns to Designing Tomorrow — and this time, we're recording from the brand new Seymour Studios at the Seymour Center in Santa Cruz. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Design Your Board (Or It Will Design Itself) | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:47:50 | |
What if the biggest barrier to your mission isn't funding, or talent, or market conditions — but the people sitting in your boardroom? Not because they're bad people. But because they don't have clear expectations about their role. They weren't trained on the very real skills required for governance. And they're shoved into systems that don't allow them to bring their best strengths to the table. In this episode, I sit down with Rob Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, to explore what separates boards that multiply impact from boards that drain resources. After serving as a nonprofit CEO for 11 years and watching boards either accelerate or anchor organizations, Rob has spent the last decade placing over 3,000 board members across 1,500 organizations — and he's figured out exactly what makes the difference. It's not about finding wealthy donors or well-connected people. It's about design. Because most nonprofit boards aren't built — they just happen. A friend of a friend. Someone who can write a check. A warm body to fill a seat. That's governance by accident. And governance by accident creates dysfunction by design. In our conversation, we explore:
Notable Quotes "I can't think of anything worse than a nonprofit organization — we don't operate around the edges of society, we're taking care of homelessness, kids, the sick, the environment — to have a board that's actually draining resources instead of contributing." — Rob Acton [04:03] "I've seen people apologize for the roles and responsibilities and expectations. That makes me sad. There's no apology. You're stepping into a role where you'll be one of 10, 12, 15 people shepherding this important work." — Rob Acton [04:43] "Don't just ask 'who do we know?' Really be thoughtful around what is the right mix of backgrounds, experiences, skill sets, industries that we need represented in these strategic conversations." — Rob Acton [05:11] "When a board has delegated everything else to the CEO and said 'okay, we'll just raise money,' they've really lost track of their core responsibilities." — Rob Acton [09:18] Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What Happens When Organizations Can't Dream | 02 Dec 2025 | 00:37:24 | |
What happens when organizations can't dream? Not because they lack vision. But because they're too busy scrambling to make payroll, chasing emergency grants, firefighting the latest crisis. Scarcity doesn't just drain bank accounts — it steals the capacity to imagine what's possible. In this episode, I sit down with Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY in Baltimore, to explore what he calls "reactivism" and how the social impact sector got trapped in a cycle of moving from crisis to crisis, hashtag to hashtag, never building the institutions we actually need. After years on the front lines in Ferguson and Baltimore, Jamye stepped back to create what he calls an "imagination incubator" — and he's putting real resources behind it. We dig into what it actually takes to give leaders the space they need to dream, the hidden costs of the grind we celebrate, and why capital (not training) is what builds capacity. In our conversation, we explore:
Notable Quotes "We've been trying to create a container for imagination and to provide space for other folks to pause and imagine the future that they want to see." — Jamye Wooten [03:43] "Capital will help you build capacity. What does it mean to get the upfront capital that allows me to go hire my CFO and my CEO and begin to build out a team? Most folks are building as they climb without this type of infrastructure." — Jamye Wooten [13:40] "We may celebrate the hustle, the bootstrapping and the grind and resilience of community. It will also take you out." — Jamye Wooten [09:45] "I would love to see foundations and funders make a long-term commitment to really bet like they want organizations to win." — Jamye Wooten [11:22] "The times are urgent, we must slow down." — Jamye Wooten [29:40] P.S. — Struggling to align your mission with your message? Cosmic helps social impact leaders build brands that actually reflect the change you're creating. Let's talk about your vision: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Fewer Donors, Bigger Checks. Interpreting the Latest Giving Data. | 11 Nov 2025 | 00:51:38 | |
We break down the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy with the researchers who created it — exploring what this concentration means for nonprofit sustainability and the future of philanthropy. There’s a number that keeps showing up in conversations about American philanthropy. And it tells two completely different stories depending on how you read it. Over the past decade, charitable giving from affluent households increased more than 30%. That’s remarkable. That suggests a sector that’s thriving. Resilient. Responding to need. But here’s the other story that same data tells. Donor participation dropped from 91% to 81%. Twenty million American households stopped giving to charity entirely. First-time donor retention? Below 20%. Fewer people are writing checks. They’re just writing much bigger ones. So which story matters more? The one about record-breaking totals? Or the one about democratic participation collapsing? To answer that question, I wanted to talk with the researchers who created the data in the first place. Amir Pasic is the Dean of Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. It’s the world’s first and only school devoted entirely to the study of generosity. He oversees Giving USA — the longest-running report on American charitable giving. Bill Jarvis is the Managing Director at Bank of America Private Bank. He’s spent nearly two decades tracking how wealthy Americans give through the Bank of America Study of Philanthropy. He bridges wealth management and charitable giving in ways few others can. Together, they’ve surveyed over 15,000 affluent households since 2006. Their 2025 findings reveal a sector at a crossroads. And that crossroads is exactly what we’re exploring today. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Why Good Orgs Stall Out | 04 Nov 2025 | 00:08:18 | |
The biggest barrier to your next stage isn’t lack of vision or resources. It’s the moment you stop imagining what could be and start protecting what already is. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Why Facts Don't Change Minds | 21 Oct 2025 | 00:32:29 | |
In this episode, we're joined by Drew Dumsch, President and CEO of the Ecology School at River Bend Farm in Maine. Drew co-founded the organization 26 years ago with a premise that felt radical then and feels essential now: that ecological literacy — learning to read the landscape the way you learn to read a book — is foundational to creating engaged, compassionate citizens capable of understanding complex systems. This conversation challenges the assumption that more information will save us. Instead, it offers a different path: one grounded in systems thinking, regenerative principles, and the radical act of kindness in a moment defined by casual cruelty.
"Being told facts is not the purpose of education. Facts are part of becoming a well-rounded human being and an engaged citizen, but I think a huge gap is that as a society, we lack the ability to understand systems." — Drew Dumsch "You could create sustainability through fascism and cruelty. It may be sustainable, but is that a vibrant community you want to live in?" — Drew Dumsch "Showing up to work every day is my act of rebellion." — Drew Dumsch "Hope is based on both understanding of what can be and then agency to be a part of that." — Drew Dumsch "People want the simple solution. That's boring. I think the level of diversity in solutions is exciting and creative." — Drew Dumsch
The Ecology School at River Bend Farm Mentioned in the Episode:
P.S. — Feeling a disconnect between your mission and your brand? Cosmic helps social impact leaders build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let's talk about how to elevate your impact: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Growth Isn't Linear. It's Cyclical. | 14 Oct 2025 | 00:06:02 | |
Once you see the pattern, you can't unsee it. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What Political Campaigns Know That Nonprofits Don't | 07 Oct 2025 | 00:39:44 | |
Mike Nellis has raised over $1 billion for progressive campaigns and causes. As the founder of Authentic and former Senior Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, he's seen what work — and what doesn't — in digital fundraising. In this conversation, we explore what nonprofits can learn from campaign strategy, the dangers of volume-driven marketing, and why authenticity might be the only sustainable advantage left. "Running an ethical and effective fundraising program that's rooted in storytelling can raise you a lot more money than the churn and burn stuff. If you build it over time, you raise more money." — Mike Nellis [5:46] "I can't stop Donald Trump from being the tyrant that he is. But a lot of times people ignore their physical and mental health, ignore their family, ignore their community when they could strengthen all those relationships. You want to make the world a better place? You start bottom up." — Mike Nellis [30:57] Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction P.S. — Feeling a disconnect between your mission and your brand? Cosmic helps social impact leaders build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let’s talk about how to elevate your impact: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What If It’s Not All Falling Apart? | 30 Sep 2025 | 00:07:50 | |
The dominant narrative this year has been that everything’s falling apart. But what if we're manifesting a social impact doom loop? Why I have a newfound resurgence of hope and optimism for this work. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| The Funder Breaking All the (Fake) Rules | 23 Sep 2025 | 00:50:34 | |
What if philanthropy, as we know it, is a flawed system? Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| You Can’t Control Everything (But You Can Control This) | 16 Sep 2025 | 00:06:14 | |
Reflections on fear, control, and what you can actually do about it. As we head into year-end — often the most high-stakes season in our sector — this episode will help you develop the right mindset to navigate it skillfully. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What If the Economy Were Built on Care? | 09 Sep 2025 | 00:29:25 | |
What if everything you’ve been taught about economic progress is wrong? In this episode, Stacey Edgar — social worker turned social entrepreneur and now executive director of the International Folk Art Market — shares her journey through the “career jungle gym” of the social impact sector. We unpack her concept of artisan economics, a radically human approach to commerce rooted in care, dignity, and connection. From surviving U.S. customs mishaps to rewriting economic theory from a feminist perspective, Stacey challenges the status quo and shows what a purpose-driven economy really looks like — on the ground, in the marketplace, and in our communities. If you’ve ever wondered whether mission can truly coexist with margin, or how to lead with care in a world of burnouts and bans, this episode is for you.
Notable Quotes “There is no career ladder. There is a career jungle gym. Go from playground to playground, following your curiosity.” — Stacey [02:06] “Once you tell people what you’re doing, it’s not a sale… You’re inviting someone to be part of a bigger movement.” — Stacey [05:35] “In the artisan economy, creativity builds on itself… It’s about building forward and retaining tradition.” — Stacey [19:58] “Our biggest personal poverty at the moment is disconnection.” — Stacey [27:23] “When purpose becomes your marketing, it’s gone past its core.” — Stacey [17:15] Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| The Vision Window is Open...For Now | 02 Sep 2025 | 00:07:12 | |
How to recognize and act on the rare moments when transformation is possible. Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| Amanda Litman on How Real Change Happens | 26 Aug 2025 | 00:28:34 | |
What if real change doesn't begin with institutions, campaigns, or capital — but with the people we invite into our lives? In this episode, Eric sits down with Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something and author of When We’re In Charge, to explore how small, human-scale actions can spark transformational impact — from politics to parenting to how we rebuild our social lives post-pandemic. Amanda has helped 225,000+ people raise their hands to run for office — and she’s just getting started. In this candid conversation, she breaks down how we show up, lead, connect, and fundraise in ways that build community rather than extract from it. Episode Highlights: [00:00] What if real change starts with people — not policy, profit, or programs? Notable Quotes: “If work sucks less, people can be better parents, partners, and citizens.” — Amanda Litman [03:20]“Don’t treat your supporters like crap. If you’ve told them the sky is falling for ten years — what now that it’s actually falling?” — Amanda Litman [16:05] “I only drink the poison I have the antidote for.” — Amanda Litman [25:06] “Organizations can’t really tell a story. A person can.” — Amanda Litman [22:43] “We make it easy to say yes — whether it's dinner or running for office.” — Amanda Litman [09:12] P.S. — Struggling to align your message with your mission? We help social impact leaders like you build trust-building brands through authentic storytelling, thoughtful design, and digital strategy that works. Let’s talk about your goals » Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||
| What's Your Truth? | 19 Aug 2025 | 00:05:02 | |
In this episode, I’m exploring a question that’s been showing up in a lot of our recent work — and in my own thinking: What is your truth? Links: Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward. | |||